Rock Dove (Pigeon)

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The Rock Dove commonly is referred to as a pigeon, from the order Columbiformes. Patterns of blue to gray color vary from bird to bird. The wild Rock Dove generally has irridescent feathers on its head and neck. They also characteristically have two black bars across each wing, a white rump and a black band at the end of the bill.

Rock Doves are paired monogamously for life. Both the male and the female guard the nest and incubate one or two white eggs, with several clutches per year. The incubation period lasts about18 days. The hatchlings are helpless, blind and downy. Both parents feed the young within two hours of their hatching with regurgitated "crop milk", a high fat, high protein, cheesy product produced by the adults. They are closely brooded for seven days by attentive parents. The young are able to fly 35 to 37 days after hatching.

This pigeon was first introduced into North America by the French at Port Royal, Nova Scotia in 1606. Rock Doves have flourished in large cities throughout the world including North, Central and South America, the Hawaiian Islands and parts of the West Indies. Rock Doves prefer cities, towns and rural areas and generally wherever humans are close by. They are not migratory.